Empowering women in fight against breast cancer

KUALA LUMPUR: In a joint effort to shed light on the importance of breast cancer awareness, Prince Court Medical Centre held the “Spectrum of Survivors: A Pink October Afternoon Tea” at Altitude, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur.

The guests included breast cancer survivors, advocates as well as the media. The emcees at the event were Lite FM DJs Asha Gill and Ika Kamaruzzaman.

Prince Court’s Consultant Breast & Endocrine Surgeon Dr Harjit Kaur Perdamen, Consultant Breast & Oncoplastic Surgeon Dr Melissa Tan, and Clinical Radiologist Dr Farah Nun gave health talks. There were also heartwarming testimonials from breast cancer survivors Lim Soh Ngee, Kim Lim and Amnah Salleh.

Breast cancer stands as the most prevalent cancer among women. In Malaysia, the statistics are alarming, with one in every 19 women being at risk, according to the World Health Organisation.
The incidence of this disease becomes notably higher after the age of 50. Moreover, almost half of the diagnoses, accounting for 47.9%, are made at the late stages—Stage 3 and 4. From a global perspective, breast cancer has now surpassed lung cancer to become the world’s most commonly diagnosed cancer.

According to data released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in December 2020, breast cancer is responsible for one in six of all cancer deaths among women.
In a study by Malaysia SCAN in 2018, the five year survival rates in Malaysia were found to be 87.5% for Stage I, 80.7% for Stage II, 59.7% for Stage III, and 23.3% for Stage IV breast cancer patients.

Prince Court Medical Centre chief executive officer Cindy Choe said: “This event is more than just a gathering. It is a statement. We aim to empower individuals with knowledge, foster hope and emphasise the importance of early detection and post-diagnosis support.
“Our event is a testament to the collective effort required in the fight against breast cancer. Together, we are a force of change, providing a platform for survivors to share their stories and inspire others.”

Choe further stressed on the importance of regular screenings and clinical breast examinations such as mammograms and breast ultrasounds, to enable early detection of breast cancer.
Finding breast cancer as early as possible would improve the likelihood that treatments would be successful.

Prince Court Medical Centre also gave out vouchers for a complimentary Breast Ultrasound worth RM150, with an option to upgrade to 3D Mammogram at RM220, to each guest to encourage breast screening.